Medical Marijuana Update

The governors of Delaware and New Jersey sign medical marijuana expansion bills, casino magnate Sheldon Adelson kicks in a million bucks to fend off medical cannabis in Florida, Montana patients are losing access to providers, and more.

Last Thursday, the governor signed a bill allowing medical marijuana use at school . Gov . Jack Markell (D) has signed into law Senate Bill 181 , which allows registered medical cannabis patients to use their medicine while on school grounds. The law allows for cannabis-based medicines such as tinctures and oils to be used. Delaware is now the third state to enact such a law, following Colorado and New Jersey. The new law takes effect immediately.

Last Wednesday, the state moved to ease access to medical marijuana. State regulators released draft rules that would make it easier for patients to gain access to cannabis marijuana. The rules would allow nurse practitioners to certify patients for medical marijuana, allow dispensaries to post prices on their websites, and allow dispensaries to deliver to patients in nursing homes, hospices, and other health care facilities. “Our goal is safety, transparency, and access for patients who need this,” said Dr. Monica Bharel, commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, which oversees the state’s medical marijuana program. “This is an evolving process,” Bharel said, “both in Massachusetts and nationally.” The proposed rules were presented to the Public Health Council, which will give final approval, but not before a public hearing expected this fall.

Michigan

Last Wednesday, the House gave final approval to a medical marijuana regulation package. The House voted Wednesday in concurrence with last week’s Senate vote approving a series of bills that would create a regulatory framework for medical cannabis that explicitly allows for dispensaries to operate. It also creates a licensing system for patients, growers, and dispensaries and establishes a 3% tax on retail sales. The package of bills now goes to the desk of Gov. Rick Snyder (R), who is expected to sign it into law.

As of Monday, nine out of ten medical marijuana patients had no legal provider. With the GOP-led legislature’s 2011 gutting of the state’s medical cannabis program now in effect, 93% of the state’s more than 12,000 registered patients have no registered provider. That means unless they can grow it themselves, they are out of luck. An initiative that would restore the state’s medical marijuana program, I-182, is on the November ballot.

Paul Ebeling

Paul A. Ebeling, polymath, excels in diverse fields of knowledge. Pattern Recognition Analyst in Equities, Commodities and Foreign Exchange and author of “The Red Roadmaster’s Technical Report” on the US Major Market Indices™, a highly regarded, weekly financial market letter, he is also a philosopher, issuing insights on a wide range of subjects to a following of over 250,000 cohorts. An international audience of opinion makers, business leaders, and global organizations recognizes Ebeling as an expert.